Applicator



30,1956 w. SMILLIE ET AL 2,768,400

APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 25, 1954 United States Patent O APPLICATOR Winston B. Smillie, Ladue, and John L. Rainey, University City, Mo., assignors to Piatt & Smlllie Chemicals, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 23, 1954, Serial No. 451,596

7 Claims. (Cl. 15l131)' This invention relates to applicators, and more particularly to a device for applying wax to floors.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, adapted for the use of either paste wax, cream wax, or the like; the provision of an applicator of this class adapted to apply the wax in a thin, even film; the provision of an applicator of this class having a container adapted to receive either a can of wax or wax removed from a can; the provision of an applicator of this class which may have a handle attached thereto or which may be articulately attached to a polishing machine to provide a combination floor Waxer and polisher; the provision of an applicator of this class in Which means is provided for adjusting the feed of the wax; and the provision of an applicator of the class described which is economical to manufacture and reliable in operation. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invent-ion being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an applicator of this invention;

'Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken on line 3-3 .of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective illustrating one mode of attaching the applicator to a polishing machine; and,

Fig. 5 is a perspective illustrating another mode ofattaching the applicator to a polishing machine.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs. r I

Referring to the drawings, an applicator of this invention is shown to comprise a cylindrical container 1 which is adapted to contain a can of paste wax with the bottom of the can cut out, or a block of paste wax removed from the can, cream wax or the'like. The container has an unobstructed. open bottom. It has an integral horizontal bottom flange 3 extending outward all around the bottom, and an integral peripheral skirt 5 depending from the flange. The skirt has two opposite straight parallel sides 7, and two opposite curved sides 9. The sides 7 are formed with pairs of aligned inside bosses 11 and 13 toward the ends. Each of these bosses is formed with a bottom-opening recess 15.

The applicator includes a pair of rolls 17 and 19 mounted on shafts 21 and 23, respectively, and extending between the walls 7 of the skirt 5. The ends of shaft 21 extend into the recesses 15 in the bosses 11, and the ends of shaft 23 extend into the recesses 15 in the bosses 13. The shafts are held in the recesses by angle members 25 having a horizontal leg attached to the bosses by screws 27 and a vertical leg extending upward on the inside of the bosses. An endless belt 29 is trained around the rolls Patented Oct. 30, 1956 17 and 19, with its upper reach 31 extending across the open bottom of the container 1 below the bottom side of the flange 3, and with its lower reach 33 below the bottom edge of the skirt 5. This belt may be made of synthetic rubber, such as is sold under the trade name neoprene, polyethylene, or any other suitable material. It is wider than the open bottom of the container. A rubber bumper 35 may be provided around the lower rim of the skirt.

At 37 is shown a doctor blade for cooperation with the portion of the belt passing around the roll 17 and at 39 is shown another doctor blade for cooperation with the portion of the belt passing around the roll 19. Each of these doctor blades comprises an angle member having a horizontal leg fastened to the bottom side of the flange 3 by means of screws 41 extending through slots 43 in the horizontal leg, and a vertical leg extending downward toward the belt. The slots extend in the direction of the length of the belt, and, by loosening the screws 41, the blades may be adjusted toward and away from the belt to vary the feed of the wax.

A dome-shaped lid for the container 1 is indicated at 45. The lower rim of the lid is formed for telescoping engagement with the upper end of the container as indicated at 47. The lid has an upwardly extending diametrical rib 49 on the top. This rib is provided with a central notch 51. A bail 53, formed from a length of resilient rod, has inturned lower ends 55 sprung into openings 57 in opposite sides of the container 1 adjacent its lower end. The plane of the bail is lengthwise of the belt, and the bail is adapted to be swung to a vertical position overlying the lid 45 in which its upper portion is sprung into the notch 51 of the rib 49 securely to hold the lid in place.

A conventional forked screw socket 59 is adapted to be attached to the upper portion of the bail straddling the rib 49, as indicated in phantom in Fig. 2, for reception of a conventional screw-end handle. A hinge lea-f 61 is secured in vertical position on one of the sides 7 of the skirt 5 as by screws 63. Pivotally connected by a hinge pin 65 to the upper end of the leaf 61 is another hinge leaf 67. Leaf 67 constitutes a link pivotally connected at one end to the applicator for swinging on a horizontal axis generally at the level of the flange 3. Pivotally connected to the free end of the leaf 67 by a horizontal hinge pin 69 is a third hinge leaf member 71. Member 71 has holes 73 for receiving screws for attaching it to a conventional polishing machine.

Fig. 4 shows one mode of attaching the applicator to a conventional polishing machine P wherein the member 71 is attached to the machine at its forward end, so that the applicator extends forward from the machine. The link 67 provides for vertical articulation of the applicator with respect to the polishing machine to insure that the belt of the applicator rides on the floor with the full weight of the applicator brought to bear on the belt. Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative mode of attaching the applicator to a polishing machine P wherein the member 71 is attached to the polishing machine at the rear, so that the applicator extends rearward from the machine, again being vertically articulated with respect to the machine. With the latter arrangement, if so desired, a Wire such as indicated at W may be used for holding the applicator raised from the floor for polishing without simultaneous application of wax to the floor.

In using the applicator, the container 1 is loaded through the top with wax by removing the lid. The container may be loaded with a can of paste wax, for example, by cutting off the bottom of the can and inserting the can with the wax therein bottom down into the container. Under these circumstances, the block of paste wax tends to slide down out of the can to hear at its lower end upon the upper reach of the belt, the *belt being wider than the block. By swinging the applicator from side to side, the belt is caused to travel around the rolls, first in one direction and then the other, and the upper reach of the belt rubs against the wax for transfer of wax thereto and the wax is transferred from the lower reach of the belt to the floor. The doctor blades are adjusted to obtain the desired thickness for the film of Wax to be applied to the floor. Preferably, the upper reach of the belt is spaced slightly below the flange 3, so that it does not rub against the flange. Instead of inserting the can of paste wax in the container 1, after cutting out the bottom of the can, the block of wax may be allowed to slide completely out of the can and into thecontainer. Cream wax may also be used.

It will be observed that with the plane of .the bail 53 lengthwise of the belt, and with the pivotal axes of the link 67 and member 71 lengthwise of the belt, in order to obtain travel of the belt around the rolls, the applicator must be swung fromside to side. This type of application is preferable to straight line back and forth application.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, a pair .of rolls journalled at their ends in two oppositesides of the skirt and located toward the ends of said sides, an endless belt trained around the rolls and having. its upper reach extending across the open bottom of the container below the bottom side of the flange and its lower reach below the bottom edge of the skirt, said belt being wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around one roll and a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around the other roll, each of said blades being adapted for adjustment towardand away .from the belt, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a block of paste wax loaded in the container may slide down out of the container to bear at its lower end on the upper reach of the belt.

2. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a cylindrical container for paste Wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom-and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, said skirt having two opposite straight parallel sides, a pair of rolls journalled at their ends in said opposite sides of the skirt and located toward the ends of said sides, an endless belt trained around the rolls and having its upper reach extending across the open bottom of the container'below the bottom side of theflange and its lower reach below the bottom edge of the skirt, said belt being'wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctorblade. extending between said sides toward one end thereof cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around one roll and a doctor blade extending etween said sides toward the other end thereof cooperating with the portionof the belt passing around the other roll, each of said bladesbeing releasably secured to the bottom side of the flange-and adapted for adjustment toward and. away from the belt, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a blockof paste wax loaded in the container'may 4 slide down out of the container to hear at its lower end on the upper reach of the belt.

3. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, said skirt having two opposite straight parallel sides, said sides having a pair of aligned inside bosses toward one end and a pair of aligned inside bosses toward the other end, each boss having a bottom-opening recess, a first shaft having its ends received in the recesses in one pair of bosses, a second shaft having its ends received in the recesses in the other pair of bosses, means holding the shafts in recesses, a roll on the first shaft, a roll on the second shaft, an endless belt trained around the rolls and having its upper reach extending across the open bottom of vthe container below the bottom side of the flanges and its lower reach below the bottom edge of the skirt, said belt being wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade extending between said sides toward one end thereof cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around one roll and a doctor blade extending between said sides toward the other end thereof cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around the other roll, each of said blades being releasably secured to the bottom side of the flange and adapted for adjustment toward and away from the belt, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a block of paste wax loaded in the container may slide down out of the container to bear at its lower end on the upper reach of the belt.

4. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, a pair of rolls journalled at their ends in two opposite sides of the skirt and located toward the ends of said sides, an endless belt trained around the rolls and having its upper reach extending across the open bottom of the container below .the bottom side of the flange and its lower reach below the bottom edge of the skirt, said belt being wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around one roll and a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing aroundthe other roll, each of said blades being adapted for adjustment toward and away from the belt, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a block of paste Wax loaded in the container may slide down out of the container to hear at itslower end on the upper reach of the belt, a lid for the container, and a U-shaped bail having inturned end portions pivotally connected to the container adjacent the, lower end of the container at opposite sides thereof for swinging move ment on an axis extending lengthwise with respect to the belt, said bail being provided with means for securing a handle thereto and adapted to be swung over the lid to hold the lid on the container, the plane of the bail being lengthwise of the belt.

5. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottomand adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, a pair of rolls ournalled at their ends in two opposite sides of the skirt and located toward the ends of said sides, an endless belt trained around the rolls and having its upper reach extending across the open bottom of the container below the bottom side of the flange and its lower reach below the bottom edge of the skirt, said belt being wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around one roll and a doctor blade cooperating with the portion of the belt passing around the other roll, each of said blades being adapted for adjustment toward and away from the belt, a link pivotally connected at one end to the applicator at one of said sides of the skirt for swinging on a horizontal axis generally at the level of the flange, and a member pivotally connected to the other end of the link for swinging on a parallel axis and adapted for attachment to a polishing machine, the pivotal axes of the link and said member being lengthwise of the belt.

6. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, conveyor means carried between two opposite sides of the skirt for receiving Wax from the container through the open bottom of the container and applying the wax to the floor, said conveyor means being wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade extending between said sides of the skirt toward one end of said sides cooperating with the adjacent portion of the conveyor means, and a doctor blade extending between said sides of the skirt toward the other end of said sides cooperating with the adjacent portion of the conveyor means, each of said blades comprising an angle member having a horizontal leg releasably secured to the bottom side of said flange and a vertical leg extending downward from said flange, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a block of paste wax loaded in the container may slide down out of the container to bear at its lower end on said conveyor means.

7. An applicator, particularly for applying wax to floors, comprising a container for paste wax or the like, said container being open at the bottom and adapted to be loaded through the top, a flange extending outward from the container at its bottom all around the bottom, a peripheral skirt depending from the flange, conveyor means carried between two opposite sides of the skirt for receiving wax from the container through the open bottom of the container and applying the wax to the floor, said conveyor means being Wider than the open bottom of the container, a doctor blade extending between said sides of the skirt toward one end of said sides cooperating with the adjacent portion of the conveyor means, and a doctor blade extending between said sides of the skirt toward the other end of said sides cooperating with the adjacent portion of the conveyor means, the open bottom of the container being unobstructed whereby a block of paste wax loaded in the container may slide down out of the container to bear at its lower end on said conveyor means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,715,059 Dornhecker May 28, 1929 1,871,013 Shakespeare Aug. 9, 1932 1,983,640 Karlstrom Dec. 11, 1934 2,010,314 Miller, Jr. Aug. 6, 1935 2,407,408 Erickson Sept. 10, 1946 2,474,733 Gallagher June 28, 1949 2,548,653 Cromwell Apr. 10, 1951 2,668,306 Kohl Feb. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 250,322 Switzerland June 1, 1948 

